John Ernst Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California in 1902. He attended Stanford University but left to pursue a writing career in New York. Although his early novels received little attention, "Tortilla Flat" was a success and marked a turning point in his career. Steinbeck went on to write famous works like "Of Mice and Men", "The Grapes of Wrath", and "East of Eden", winning the Pulitzer Prize and Nobel Prize for Literature. He remained fascinated by King Arthur tales and felt work and women were most necessary to life.

1. By Daniel Kim

2. John Ernst Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California, on Feb

ruary 27, 1902
As he was growing up he worked the summers at nearby

ranches
Graduated from Salinas High School in 1919

Attended Stanford University until Steinbeck left to go to

New York to pursue his writing career
Steinbeck returned to California because none of his writing

were being published
His first novel “Cup of Gold” was published in 1929

Died December 20, 1968, in New York City and Steinbeck’s

ashes were placed in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in
Salinas

3. His first novel “Cup of Gold” received little

attention
His next novels “The Pastures of Heaven”

and “To a God Unknown” also received little
attention
“Tortilla Flat” and “Cannery row” later

followed
“Tortilla flat “ was a turning point for

Steinbeck for he won the California Common
wealth Club's Gold Medal for best novel by a
California author
“The Grapes of Wrath” won Pulitzer Prize


4. Once There Was a War

The Pearl

Of Mice And Men

The Moon is Down

In Dubious Battle

The Long Valley

The Log from the Sea of Cortez

The Harvest


5. 1935 - Commonwealth Club of California Gold Medal for B

est Novel by a Californian (Tortilla Flat)
1936 - Commonwealth Club of California Gold Medal for B

est Novel by a Californian (In Dubious Battle)
1938 - New York Drama Critics' Circle Award

(Of Mice & Men)
1940 - Pulitzer Prize Fiction Award (The Grapes of Wrath)

1946 - King Haakon Liberty Cross (The Moon is Down)

1962 - Nobel Prize for Literature

1964 - United States Medal of Freedom

- Annual Paperback of the Year Award
- Press Medal of Freedom

6. Of Mice and Men

Tortilla Flat

Canary Row

The Grapes of Wrath

The Red Pony

The Winter of Our Discontent

The Pearl

La Perla


7. Although many people believe him to be a

lifelong Californian, Steinbeck spent much
of his life in New York and eventually shed
most of his ties to the Salinas Valley
Steinbeck had a lifelong fascination with the

King Arthur tales
The two things Steinbeck found most

necessary to life were “work and women.”
John Steinbeck didn’t like having so much

attention because of his books

8. http://www.steinbeck.org

http://www.enotes.com/authors/john-

steinbeck
Images from Google images
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